12 weeks out starting Monday

[Newhardbegining]

Hey guys I signed up for a contest day after Halloween and I will be 12 weeks out starting Monday I currently cut from 192-170 now eating at 1,800 cals. I kept gradually cutting them until 1,800. Well I took 3 days off from cutting in hopes to being my metabolism up somewhat basically having what I normally eat with a lot of cheat food in prep for these grinding 12 weeks to come. First I'm wondering if 12 weeks is long enough to cut and if after these 3 days of cheating if I should increase my cals up to 2000 then recut down again to further cut bodyfat? I plan on upping cardio every week 1 day until I hit 6 days a week then adding time until I hit 40 mins a session then if I must cut calories no lower then 1500? Pics are on my profile of how I am lean now just want to know if I messed up or what

[DiaBuilder]

I'm currently 11 weeks out of my first contest and I'm at 2,000 calories. Weighing 190 @10% trying to cut down to 4%. By the looks of your plan I think that your cals should be fine at 2,000, especially if you're going to be putting in up to 5-6 days cardio. Make sure you're eating a lot of protein and track your weekly progress because you don't want to lose too much muscle or intensity in the gym. What is your bf %?

[Newhardbegining]

I'm hovering from 9-10% at 170 currently doing cardio 3 times a week each week I'll up one day until I'm at 6 then up the cals burned by 100 each week until I'm at 40 mins a session so 600 cals a session by the end and right now I'm eating 1,800 cals I just had 2 cheat days back to back to refeed and keep myself mentally there for these final 12 weeks of goin balls to wall an my protein is at 202g fats are at 52g I believe carbs are around 90 my chart is somewhere but I'm acutally at 1,730 cals exactly plan on hittin that 4% day before Halloween

[adisious]

How are you calculating how many calories you need to lose? How strict are you on your diet, as in do you log every calorie you consume/plan meals ahead of time. Id say your around 12-13% BF atm. Its a good thing your starting now but its way too early for you to be re feeding, your not lean enough yet.

I wouldn't change your caloric intake if your losing 1-1.5lb per week, there's no need. You will be over dieting and most likely further eff up your metabolism. Unfortunately you're now 12 weeks out so you cant take a control week to see what works :/. By the looks of your before and after pic you should definitely have this man! Remember hours of endless cardio is usually unnecessary unless breaking through a weight loss plateau. If your consistently losing weight without the need to do cardio I would weight until you stunt to start upping it. I would personally do the bare minimum a week to maintain your cardiovascular health. Currently in contest prep also, so we're both learning! Good luck brother and if you need some motivation or get depressed don't hesitate to hit me up!

[Milone79]

lol @ people aiming for 4%....hahahaha you do realize Berto was measured at 6% a few weeks ago??? you WILL NOT get to 4% but nice to believe in something I guess...

[tumtum]

lol @ people aiming for 4%....hahahaha you do realize Berto was measured at 6% a few weeks ago??? you WILL NOT get to 4% but nice to believe in something I guess...

This.. Forever will my goal be to simply hit a legit 8%

[Milone79]

legit 8% is shredded as fuark....very few bodybuilders ever get that lean

[Newhardbegining]

Okay I'm 10 weeks out starting Monday still at 1800 cals brought cardio up to 4 days a week I don't feel like I'm making any progress though abs are not visible well enough but back is looking best ever should I up cardio or cut cals I know 1800 is low but I'm not hungry really that much weight has plateaued. Pics from last week have been posted on my current progress new ones will be taken tommorow.

[KnowstheSky]

Okay I'm 10 weeks out starting Monday still at 1800 cals brought cardio up to 4 days a week I don't feel like I'm making any progress though abs are not visible well enough but back is looking best ever should I up cardio or cut cals I know 1800 is low but I'm not hungry really that much weight has plateaued. Pics from last week have been posted on my current progress new ones will be taken tommorow.

If you are doing 1800 cals a day with an uncontrolled refeed day, your metabolism may be slowing down because you are not modulating your macros enough. Consider this:

Cutting Macros—7 day sked

1 day @ 2700 calories (this refeed day could be even bigger, 300 carbs!)
240g carbs
250g protein
70g fats

3 days at 2300 calories
175g carbs
250g protein
60g fats

3 days at 1800 calories
125g carbs
225g protein
40g fats

HIIT Cardio 2x a week for 25 minutes

Low Impact Cardio 6x a week for 35-40 mins

2 gallons a day of water, if possible

1 tablespoon of fish oil daily as part of fats intake

Beverly Lean Out-- 1 capsule with each carb meal, 1 cap before lifting or cardio

R-ALA (alpha lipoic acid, 200 mg capsules)-- take 1 with carb meals

[Newhardbegining]

If you are doing 1800 cals a day with an uncontrolled refeed day, your metabolism may be slowing down because you are not modulating your macros enough. Consider this:

Cutting Macros—7 day sked

1 day @ 2700 calories (this refeed day could be even bigger, 300 carbs!)

240g carbs
250g protein
70g fats

3 days at 2300 calories
175g carbs
250g protein
60g fats

3 days at 1800 calories
125g carbs
225g protein
40g fats

HIIT Cardio 2x a week for 25 minutes

Low Impact Cardio 6x a week for 35-40 mins

2 gallons a day of water, if possible

1 tablespoon of fish oil daily as part of fats intake

Beverly Lean Out-- 1 capsule with each carb meal, 1 cap before lifting or cardio

R-ALA (alpha lipoic acid, 200 mg capsules)-- take 1 with carb meals

Hmmm I do feel bad about refeed and have been trying to avoid them but maby that's my issue now with the post I understand the 2700 cal refeed day but why 3 days at 2300 then 1800?

[KnowstheSky]

Hmmm I do feel bad about refeed and have been trying to avoid them but maby that's my issue now with the post I understand the 2700 cal refeed day but why 3 days at 2300 then 1800?

Sorry, I should have mentioned you intermix the middle and low eating days, aiming the middle days for larger bodyparts (allows you more carbs for pre and post lifting meals). I did my large (refeed) day on Saturday (legs day!), low Sunday (no lifting, just cardio), Middle Monday and Tuesday (chest and back days), low weds (cardio only), middle thurs (delts n traps), low friday (arms).

Varying the macros keeps your body metabolism cranked up and its less monotonous than eating the same 6 days a week. As long as you end each week with a caloric deficit of 7K from lower eating and cardio/Training, you will drop about 1.5 to 2 lbs of BF a week and retain your muscle mass.

Hope this helps!

Ken